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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Texas/NC

    Lebron Can't Win Without Shaq

    or so says Danny Ferry...just kidding

    The Big Cactus is headed to Cleveland. Danny Ferry has made his big move. This will likely be the move that makes or breaks his career as Cleveland's GM. Way to keep the Duke Basketball legacy strong Danny.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4285489

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    I'm sooooo looking forward to Shaq's diva attitude and how it plays in Cleveland. My guess is, not well. I think DF made a mistake here.
    Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Atlanta, GA/Durham, NC
    Nope - Shaq is at the point in his career where I don't think he'll mind being Robin. He gets to play with history this time around...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Norfolk, VA
    Shaq is over the hill and not the answer in Cleveland. I don't understand this move at all.
    Bob Green

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Green View Post
    Shaq is over the hill and not the answer in Cleveland. I don't understand this move at all.
    I was thinking that too at first. Then, I realized that they only lose Ben Wallace and Pavlovic. Shaq fills a huge need for Cleveland in the post... a huge body that can take up space, get easy points, and have a good shot at defending Dwight Howard.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Nashville
    Quote Originally Posted by FireOgilvie View Post
    I was thinking that too at first. Then, I realized that they only lose Ben Wallace and Pavlovic.
    Yeah, wow. That's basically equivalent to giving up nothing. I wouldn't say it's the move to put them over the top, but given how important next year is for the Cavs, that's a steal.

    I wonder if that is the only move Mr. Ferry will make this summer? I know folks were speculating he might make a play for Villanueva or Boozer, and I wouldn't think that Wallace or Pavlovic would have been breaking points in those negotiations. A package of Ilgauskas, Hickson, and their 1st round pick perhaps? Ilgauskas just seems like such an awful fit for a Lebron James-led team, and I could potentially see Utah going for that.

  7. It's an excellent trade. Shaq was a bit under the radar this past year but he did very well on the Suns with 18 points (shooting 61% from the field) and 8 rebounds per game. He even made the All-Star game.

    Shaq is the kind of player that might have only a marginal impact over the season, but come playoff time his size can be a difference maker. The Cavs certainly could've used him against the Magic.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Texas/NC
    Guys, Shaq was arguably Phoenix's best player down the stretch last year. He is still a force.

  9. #9
    Apparently they've got the money. Wallace is going to retire and they don't want Sasha. Shaq supposedly wants to play some more - he'll be a good soldier.

  10. #10
    Not QUITE as one sided of a trade as the Gasol deal for the Lakers, but close. . .

    You just know Shaq wants to get up one championship again on Kobe, he can't talk all the trash he does and have the same number of rings. . .

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Wherever the wind blows and the leaves dance.

    Thumbs down Shaq

    Not a big fan of Shaq. He has never impressed me as a hard worker. Gifted yes but not a hard worker. Lebron seems to have both qualities. I don't see this as a good marriage. Seems like they settled for plugging up the middle instead of trying to find the winning formula.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Atlanta, GA/Durham, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by whereinthehellami View Post
    Not a big fan of Shaq. He has never impressed me as a hard worker. Gifted yes but not a hard worker. Lebron seems to have both qualities. I don't see this as a good marriage. Seems like they settled for plugging up the middle instead of trying to find the winning formula.
    Have you ever seen this guy in person? YOU try keeping that body in shape. He's been in the NBA how long now? Size might get you there but it wont keep you there.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NC
    Shaq is definitely still a useful piece and will make Cleveland better assuming that last year wasn't his last hurrah. He's certainly not dominant anymore, but he can still be very effective down low. He moves Ilgauskas to the bench, and basically replaces him as the plodding big man on defense. He does provide better post offense than Ilgauskas by a long shot.

    The problem Cleveland still has is that they're really slow up front. They have literally no versatility in their frontcourt. Against bigger, slower teams (or inferior teams) they can get away with it, but teams with more athletic PF (like Orlando, LA, etc) will still give them fits.

    They could also use a bigger wing player to complement James.

    Getting Shaq is a positive step, but he doesn't solve all the problems for Cleveland. As is, they're still putting an inordinate burden on LeBron to dominate.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Cary, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by FireOgilvie View Post
    I was thinking that too at first. Then, I realized that they only lose Ben Wallace and Pavlovic.
    They also give up a first round draft pick and some cash. I thought Shaq was pretty deferential to Wade when he won in Miami, and he knows he's no longer the primary option on any team. I like Shaq and hope he shows he still has something left in the tank.

    Is anyone else baffled by the concept of "expiring contracts"? It's like you overpay a guy, then after a couple years he all of a sudden becomes really valuable because you can trade him to another team that just wants to dump his salary to clear out cap space. I wish someone would pay me to just sit around, waiting for my contract to expire 8-).

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by UrinalCake View Post
    They also give up a first round draft pick and some cash.
    Second round.

  16. #16
    I will go on record as saying this is a stupid move by Danny Ferry. Granted, they didnt give up much, but I do not see Shaq as a good fit.

    Shaq can't play defense.
    Shaq can't shoot jumpers.
    Shaq can't hit foul shots.

    Shaq clogs up the middle, impeding James from slashing/inside moves.
    Shaq is only an average rebounder.

    I thought the Cavs needed to go after young mobile big man who is athletic, and can extent jumpers to 10-15 feet like Ilguaskas.
    If you dont have that jumper ability, then big men can help off on James when he drives to the hoop.

    The only problem with Ilguaskas is that he cant defend mobile big guys. Shaq certainly doesnt improve that situation at all. He wont be a Howard stopper or anything like that, and Shaq doesnt bring any dynamism to a team that becomes stagnant offensively (partly due to personel, partly due to Brown's inept (completely, wholly, and totally inept) offense. Brown would make a great college coach, but he doesnt have the offensive mind for the NBA.

    I think a much better move for the current Cleveland team would be to bring in a dynamic forward or two guard to open up the floor for James, like a Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Josh Howard, Richard Jefferson, or Corey Maggette type of player. A scorer so that teams can't just look at James and hit him with everything defensively. That also would increase the efficiency of the rest of the team, by spreading the floor and allowing for more cutting and offensive rebounding.

    What do you guys think?

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by theAlaskanBear View Post

    What do you guys think?
    You couldn't be more wrong.

  18. At this point I mainly see Shaq as a lazy, overweight $20 million wrecking ball that keep crashing into teams with Duke connections and destroying them. I hope this isn't Danny's signature signing, because, IMO it's a pretty poor one, redeemed only by the very minimal cost (in every way except for financial).

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by DevilCastDownfromDurham View Post
    At this point I mainly see Shaq as a lazy, overweight $20 million wrecking ball that keep crashing into teams with Duke connections and destroying them. I hope this isn't Danny's signature signing, because, IMO it's a pretty poor one, redeemed only by the very minimal cost (in every way except for financial).
    I've read that Shaq was considered the 3rd best center in the NBA.

  20. #20
    bear in mind that Shaq's problem recently has been injuries and staying on the court. Well, the Cavs were arguably the best team during the regular season and Lebron often sat the entire 4th quarter. If they can keep shaqs minutes way down so that he is fresh and energized come playoffs i think this move will pay off in spades.
    My Quick Smells Like French Toast.

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